Renal prostaglandins and phospholipase A2 in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Phospholipase A2 activity and prostaglandin synthesis were studied in the renal cortex and medulla of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) aged 10-50 weeks. Enhanced phospholipase A2 activity was found in both the cortical and the medullary microsomes of SHRSP kidneys. Phospholipase A2 activity progressively increased with age in SHRSP, but not in WKY. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) were the major prostaglandins found in the cortex, and PGE2 was the major prostaglandin found in the medulla. Prostaglandin l2 (PGI2) was synthesized in both the cortex and medulla, but cortical PGI2 synthesis was much lower than medullary synthesis. Enzymatic activity for all prostaglandin syntheses analysed here were higher in SHRSP. There was a greater age-related increase in prostaglandin synthesis in SHRSP kidneys than in WKY kidneys. In addition, the ratios of PGE2/TXB2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (PGF1 alpha)/thromboxane B2 (TXB2) decreased in SHRSP. This may produce vasoconstriction and increase vascular resistance in SHRSP. These data suggest that increased prostaglandin synthesis and phospholipase A2 activity have an important role in the development and maintenance of hypertension in SHRSP.